Ash relief door



May 19, i942. F. KALMBACH, JR

ASH RELIEF noon Filed Maich so, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheefi 1 INV'ENTQR 'FREDER/CK MLMBAcH JR. BY

- AaRNEY May 19, 194 2. KALMBACH, JR

ASH RELIEF DOOR Filed March 30, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR FREDERICK KALMBACH .m

ORNEY they become full.

Patented May 19, 1942 ASH RELIEF DOOR Frederick Kalmbach, (in, Mount Vernon, N. Y., assignor to General Machine Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 30, 1940, Serial No. 326,845

8 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for elevating material such as ash removed from a furnace, for deposit in a receptacle, and more particularly to the provision of automatic means for preventing clogging of such apparatus by an accumulation therein of the material elevated.

Automatic ash removing stokers provided for domestic heating purposes feed coal into a burner in the furnace, and the ash from the burned coal is collected as it spills over from the burner and removed from the furnace by some form of conveyer. Automatic ash removal equipment may consist of a conveying mechanism that removes the ash from the furnace directly on an incline so that the ash can be dropped by gravity from the end of the removal onveyer into one or more buckets, or the equipment may consist of a 'substanially horizontal conveyer for removing the ash from the furnace and delivering it to an inclined conveying mechanism that elevates the ash for deposit in a bucket or other receptacle.

Such a system is usually enclosed to prevent the escape of dust into the room and require changing of the buckets from time to time when Failure to change the bucket after it has become full causes the ash removing or elevating conveyers to become filled and clogged, which stops the operation of the entire stoker or at least renders the ash removing part of the stoker inoperative. Shear pins are frequently used in the driving mechanism for just such emergencies, but after a pin is sheared, op-

eration of the stoker is interrupted until it can be restored to working order by repair or replacement of the shear pin as may be necessary. To avoid this inconvenience, various devices have been proposed to spill over the ashes when the system becomes clogged, thus warning of the necessity for changing the buckets. Such ash relief devices, however, have relied merely on the weight of accumulated ash and have been unreliable and frequently have not served the purpose for which they were intended, thus causing a stoppage of the entire stoker, or at least of the ash removing and elevating portion of it An object of this invention is to provide apparatus for elevating material to be deposited in a receptacle with an automatic relief door which normally provides a tight seal but which is positively opened to allow the material to spill over whenever the receptacle intended to receive the material becomes filled, or whenever a spout delivering the elevated material to the receptacle becomes clogged.

Another object of the invention is to provide means actuated by an ash elevating conveyer mechanism associated with a stoker for positively opening an ash relief door in the conveyer housing whenever ash accumulates inside the housing.

A further object is to provide an ash elevator mechanism of the character described utilizing a paddle wheel positively rotated by engagement with the ash elevating mechanism to open an ash relief door by pushing accumulated ash against it whenever ash accumulates around the paddle Wheel.

A preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the drawings, although it is to be understood that this form as shown and described is simply illustrative of one way of carrying out the invention.

Figure 1 is an end elevation of an ash elevating mechanism for elevating and depositing ash in buckets or other receptacles showing one end of a horizontal conveyer for removing the ash from the furnace and delivering it to the lower end of the elevating mechanism.

Figure 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the ash elevating mechanism of Figure 1.

Figures 3, 5 and 7 are detail views of three alternative paddle Wheels that can be used in place of the paddle wheel shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figures 4, 6 and 8 are end elevations of the alternative paddle wheels shown in Figures 3, 5 and '7, respectively.

In the drawings, numeral Ill indicates a substantially horizontal tube carrying a worm H for removing. ash from a furnace. The tube l0 and worm Il may be part of a stoker such as shown and described in the Hall reissue Patent Re, No. 18,006, or in Hall et a1. Patent No. 2,094,742, in which the end of the conveyer tube 10 and worm I I, not shown in Figure 1, is located near a burner in a furnace from which the ashes are collected and carried horizontally to the lower end of mechanism 12 through the tube M.

the ash elevator I2. I

The ash elevator I2 is preferably disposed at right angles to the worm conveyor tube It] and is inclined at an angle to the vertical. The tube tor and a gear reduction box as shown in the above-mentioned patents may be employed.

The ash elevator I2 preferably consists of a housing made of two sections I5 and I6 enclosing an endless chain bucket conveyor I1. The lower end of the conveyor chain may be carried on a suitable sprocket journaled in the housing, and the upper end of the chain may be carried on a sprocket I8 resiliently supported from the upper end of the housing. One convenient way of providing such a resilient support is illustrated, and includes a cap member I9 seated in an opening 20 in the upper end of the housing, which supports a bolt 2I that is threaded for adjustment into a suitable yoke 22. The sides of the yoke 22 are formed with elongated slots 23 to receive the journals of the sprocket I8, and the sprocket and its journals are carried .by a spring seat 24 that is urged upwardly from the lower end of the yoke 22 by a suitable spring 25.

The endless chain conveyor I! is preferably provided with a number of spaced buckets 26 which scoop up the ash delivered to the bottom of the elevator I2 and carry it to the top of the housing where it is dumped into a pocket 27 at one side of the housing provided with two or more spouts 28 connected thereto. Any suitable number of spouts or other directing means may be provided either integral with or bolted to the upper end of the housing for discharging the ash therefrom by gravity. The ash is discharged by the spouts 28 into buckets or other receptacles (not shown) to which they may be connected by hoods or other couplings preventing the escape of dust into the room.

Near the upper end of the spouts 28, an opening 29 in the side of the housing is normally closed by a door 30, connected at its lower end by a hinge 3| to a bracket 32 on the elevator housing. This door 38 in the closed position is preferably inclined somewhat to the vertical, so that its weight tends to provide a tight seal, and a gasket 33 of felt or other suitable material may be provided to prevent any escape of ash dust around the door under normal operating conditions. Ribs 34'may be cast on the door, if desired, to give it added weight and increase its strength.

Opposite the door inside the housing is mounted a paddle wheel 35. This paddle wheel is preferably arranged to rotate and may have its axle made hollow at least at the ends, so that it can be rotatably supported by the inwardly projecting ends of bolts 35 threaded through openings in the side walls of the housing sections I5 and I6. Projecting radially from the axle 3! of the paddle wheel are a number of arms 38 (four such arms being illustrated) carrying at right angles thereto the paddles or bars 39. These bars 39 may be inclined at any suitable angle to the radial arms 38. The outer ends of arms 38 may be provided on one side with projections 40 and on the other side with toe-like projections M for engagement with the buckets 26 of the endless chain conveyer I'I.

Instead of being constructed as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the paddle wheel 35 may be made in one of the forms illustrated in Figures 3 to 8. In Figures 3 and 4, the paddle wheel comprises a pair of disc-shaped side members 42 with centrally disposed openings 43 to receive the ends of the bolts 36a in the walls of the elevator housing sections I5 and I6. Between the side members 42 are fixed a number of relatively flat bars 44 disposed in planes inclined to radii of said discs. The bars 44 serve to push the ash against door 30 and are arranged to be engaged by the buckets 26 for driving the wheel.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate a paddle wheel comprising an axle 45, hollow at least at its ends, to receive the inwardly projecting ends of the bolts 36b in the walls of the elevator housing sections I5 and I6. Axle 45 carries a number of radial arms 46 with integral relatively flat bars 41 at their outer ends disposed at right angles to the arms.

Figures 7 and 8 illustrate a third alternative form of paddle wheel similar to that shown in Figures 5 and 6 except for the inclination of the outer bars 41a. In this form, the axle 45a is also carried onthe ends of bolts 360 in the housing sections I5 and I6, and has radial arms 46a carrying bars 41a with their planes inclined at an angle to the radial arms 41a.

The operation of the device is as follows. Ash from a burner in a furnace is carried in the tube I0 by the worm II to the lower end of the ash elevator I2. The endless belt conveyor H of the elevator and the worm II may be driven synchronously and either continuously or intermittently from a shaft extending through the tube I4 rotated by any suitable source of power (not shown). If desired, of course, the worm II and the endless belt conveyer I! may be independently driven. The ash brought into the lower end of the elevator housing is scooped up in the buckets 26 and carried up over the upper sprocket 23 where the buckets 26 dump the elevated ash into the pocket 21 and spouts 28. The inclination of the elevator housing permits the ash to fall directly down through spouts 28 into any suitable receptacles provided below them to receive it.

During this process, the door 30 remains closed by its own weight and provides a tight seal for opening 29 which prevents the escape of any ash dust therethrough. The freely rotatable paddle wheel 35, or one of the alternative forms shown in Figures 3 to 8, is rotated constantly in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 2 by reason of the successive engagement of the buckets 26 with the toe-shaped projections M on the arms 38. With any one of the alternative paddle wheels of Figures 3 to 8, the buckets 26 would similarly engage successively the bars 44, 4'! or 41a to cause positive rotation of the paddle wheel.

'80 long as the ash is allowed to fall freely out through the spouts 28, the paddle wheel does not interfere with its passage and the door 38 remains tightly closed. If the buckets below the spouts 28 become filled, however, or if the spouts 28 become clogged, ash accumulates thereabove and begins to fill up the pocket 28 as shown in Figure 2. As soon as this occurs, the paddle wheel 35 begins to push the accumulating ash against the door 30 until enough ash has been packed in to cause the door to be forced open. In addition, the paddle wheel 35 continues to push further quantities of ash as it is elevated and dumped by the buckets 26 out through the opening 29 in the housing, so that the ash cannot accumulate around the endless chain conveyor I1 in the housing and interfere with its operation.

It is a simple matter then, when the spill over of ash is discovered, to change the buckets or clean out the spouts 28 as may be necessary, and reclose the door 30. The stoker during all this time is allowed to run without interruption and no repairs or replacement of shear pins or other parts is necessary.

The arrangement described by which a paddle wheel is rotated by an elevating conveyer mechanism is particularly advantageous because it affords a positive release for an accumulation of ash, and ordinary corrosion which may occur during summer months when the stoker is not being operated, will not prevent the proper function of the release mechanism.

In addition, the arrangement shown in thedrawings is not noisy in operation and does not interfere or jam when the elevator chain is rereversed in rotation or rocked back and forth by hand as may be necessary occasionally in removing a large clinker or other foreign object from the elevator housing.

Various modifications of the apparatus within the scope of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. In fact, the apparatus is adapted for the elevation of other materials than ash wherever it is desirable to provide for the automatic release of accumulated materials and prevent damage to the elevating mechanism.

The terms and expressions which I have employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and I have no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but recognize that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

I claim:

1. Ash elevating apparatus comprising an inclined endless belt mechanism elevating the ash, a housing enclosing said mechanism, means disposed near the upper end of said housing for discharging ash elevated by the mechanism into a receptacle, a normally closed door associated with said housing near said discharge means, and means continuously rotated by said mechanism for opening said door in the event ash accumulates and blocks said discharge means.

2. Ash removing apparatus comprising an inclined conveyer mechanism for elevating the ash, a housing enclosing said mechanism, means disposed near the upper end of the housing for discharging from the housing ash elevated by said mechanism, a normally closed door for seal.- ing an opening in said housing near the upper end of said discharge means, and rotary means rotated continuously in one direction by said conveyer mechanism to push accumulated ash against said door in the event said discharge means becomes clogged.

3. Ash removing apparatus comprising an inclined conveyor mechanism for elevating the ash, a housing enclosing said mechanism, means disposed near the upper end of the housing for discharging from the housing ash elevated by said mechanism, a normally closed door for sealing an opening in said housing near the upper end of said discharge means, and a paddle wheel rotated by said conveyer mechanism for pushing any accumulation of ash in the upper portion of said housing against said door to open it.

4. In apparatus for removing coal ash automatically from a furnace, a conveyer mechanism for elevating the ash, a housing substantially completely enclosing said-mechanism and provided with means for directing the elevated ash into a receptacle and an opening near the upper portion of said directing means, a door for said opening hinged to the housing to swing outwardly therefrom, and a paddle wheel positively rotated by said conveyer mechanism for pushing ash that accumulates above said directing means against said door.

5. In apparatus for removing coal ash automatically from a furnace. a conveyer mechanism for elevating the ash, a housing substantially completely enclosing said mechanism and provided with means for directing the elevated ash into a receptacle and an opening near the upper portion of said directing means, a door for said opening hinged to the housing near its lower edge to swing outwardly therefrom and. inclined so that it normally assumes-and remains in a closed position sealing said opening, and a paddle Wheel disposed in the path of ash falling into said directing means and positively rotated by said conveyer mechanism to open said door in the event of ash accumulating in the housing by pushing such accumulated ash against the door.

6. Apparatus of the character described comprising an endless belt conveyer mechanism provided with spaced elements for elevating ash to be deposited in a receptacle, a casing for said mechanism having an opening for the discharge of elevated ash and a second opening thereabove, a door for closing said second opening, and a paddle wheel within the housing positively rotated by engagement with said spaced elements for pushing ash accumulated in the housing against said door and out through said second opening.

7 .Apparatus as defined in claim 6 in which the paddle wheel is provided with a plurality of bars carried on arms extending outwardly from an axle, said bars being disposed to push the ash against the door.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 6 in which the paddle wheel comprises a plurality of relatively fiat bars for pushing the ash, said bars being inclined rearwardly with respect to the direction of rotation thereof.

FREDERICK KALMBACH, J R. 

